Last year myself and Dave Evans made a pilgrimage to Red Walls at Gogarth. To me it is one of the most beautiful walls in North Walls. For most that attraction is very much in the eye of the beholder. As generally the wall is slightly overhanging with some of the looses rock at Gogarth. However if you learn to master this type of climbing, which to me is the total use of all the skills you have learnt in climbing.
Technique is vitally important, as turn up with the grab and pull of a indoor climber or sports climber and you’ll soon fall off, usually with two holds in your hands. For the technique is there to limit the weight you place on each hold as you try to share the weight equally between hands and feet.
Similarly you will need to be both calm and collected as you fiddle runners into some of the softest rock you have ever climbed on. Quantity rather than quality of runners is often the technique on this wall, so you often start a pitch weighed down with a double rack of friends and 20+ quickdraws.
If you have noticed that I haven’t been bloggin gthat much, it because I am battling with tendonistus in my elbow. So I have basically not climbed for 4 weeks, other than for work. When Dave pghone me up for part of teh annual pilgrimage to red wall, I found it impossible to say no, and just thought I needed this in my life.
The abseil in is exciting, and we decided to climb Television Route, originally aided by Joe Brown and the American Royal Robbins for a BBC live outside broadcast. The history of which makes up a small part of the book I have been working on. Bolts or pegs were placed every 10ft to keep the climbers safe but in edge and the route climbed the easiest piece of cliff to film rather than the best line.
Most people start up the ‘safer start’, but Dave was psyched for the original. This resulted in him playing the long game, a very sensible thing on such a bold start. Edging his way up and down until he was ready to commit to get through the crux. As soon as he went for it Dave was on fire, the initial wall is very much a baptism of fire, and whilst I am somewhat out of shape, I felt the E4 5c grade was something of a sandbag, and so did dave.
Certainly compared to all the other E4’s on this wall I have climbed it was certainly a step above. Dave thought E5 5c, which is a horrendous grade, which reflects the commitment need to succeed. After I flaialed my way up it, after my elbow gave up half way up, although I was pumped out of my mind as well, Dave said that it took the great Nick Bullock an age to commit to the route.
I have no pictures as I was more focused on the climbing, but a great day out, and thanks to Dave for getting me off the couch.